The List: 17 Jan 2002 (Issue 432)

With Burns Night on its way, this might give you some inspiration for traditional food ideas. Recipes with whisky is JLlSl one of the highlights. as well as a section on Just about everything you need to know about yer national drink.

AIRTOONS

www.airtoons.com

The use of pie-historic electronic devices is sturdy umcceptnbfe.

A welcome revamp for this slightly childish. if very funny site. The basic idea is to take some original graphics from aircraft safety cards and recaption them. It comes in two flavours: ‘light' for those who are eaSily offended and ‘regular' for those who can handle dirtier humour. It need not be said which is funnier.

STORYTELLING SCOTLAND

www.europeoftales.net

This is a very original and educational website hosted by the National Museums of Scotland. Aimed mainly at children ithough no less enjoyable for adults). it tells folk tales and myths from Scotland and four other European countries. It's very heavy on Flash animation. but

Europc of Tales

constructed superbly and is a pleasure to watch. Kids might not even realise that they're learning.

THE BOOK OF KELLS www.bookofkells.ie

This website tries to give an insight for those not lucky enough to have seen the book. famously now stored and cared for in Trinity College. Dublin. Some of the graphics are downloadable along with explanatory notes. from possibly the most beautiful and fascinating historical text we have.

THE FRAMLEY EXAMINER www.framleyexaminer. com

Scouts’ cheque crushes scouts f’ifTT-n—r- """ “5

Pound found “L. ,..._,,,J.,,,,., P

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I \ 'top of the chans' \ -~

I g\ Lou (scum norws I ‘ ‘

Spoof news \‘v’fEiXSllOfS are a real gamble. Few have lived up to the success of Americas The Onion (van/vrtheoiiioncomi and many look like spoofs of themselves. This site is the best in a while. talking the form of a local newspaper. While sometimes a little obvious. it repays further reading. Not (iiiite Chris Morris. but local satire for local people.

Richard O’Brien’s rock musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show has long laid claim to being the ultimate camp cult experience. That was until the story of ‘internationally ignored’ transsexual rock star, Hedwig and her angry inch, exploded, at first onto the stage, and then onto the screen last yean

Born in Berlin the year the wall went up, Hedwig (born Hansel) is the troubled offspring of a German mother and a sexually abusive American Gl father. Finding solace in 705 transgender rock gods such as David Bowie, Lou Reed and Iggy Pop, escape comes - at a price - when Hedwig meets an American soldier and is taken under wedlock to Kansas, USA.

The price is being lumbered with a one inch mound of flesh where a penis used to be — grim but great fodder for hard-hitting rock songs when she forms a band with a group of Korean servicemen’s wives. Life continues on a downward turn, however, when the eternally optimistic transsexual entertainer is shafted by an ex-lover who steals her songs and her chance at fame.

Written and directed by leading lady John Cameron Mitchell, this bittersweet rock opera is touchingly told through a collage of songs, animation and flashback footage. Those that flinch from musicals may balk at the Elton John- influenced ditties, but anyone with a heart can’t fail to be captivated by Hedwig’s ballsy attitude to that business we call show. (Catherine Bromley) I /-'ii./ai/ab/e from Mon ("’7 Jan through Fitter'tairirrieri.’ or: V} IS rer‘fa.’ arid [)‘z/f) retail.

ES( )l .l Y\.‘.’( )( )l) M )MANCI ASOKA (12) 150 mins .00

Prince Asoka lShah Hukh Khani is the star of this Hollywood film of legend. ‘.‘.’£ll' and love. It begins in L’r'r'iHCZ ‘.'.’|lll the prince fighting for the throne of Magadlia. after

which he goes off to live the life of an ordinary man. He meets and falls in love with the beautiful Princess Kauiwaki iKareena Kapoor‘i. but is soon called back home to lead Magadha into the bloodiest battle over. ln the aftermath. he sees

the error of his warring ways and changes his life forever through Buddhism. This is a Bollywood spectacular with well choreogra))hed fight and dance scenes as well as fine performances from the celeb couple of the Bollywood scene. iMetrodome VHS and DVD rentali

lJane Hamiltoni

Tl lRll I lit BATTLE ROYALE (18) 109 mins 00..

luﬂw'“ oenoo r.‘ m

This is Lord Of The F/ies with guns. A fictional Japanese government delivers the ultimate short. sharp shock by dumping an unsuspecting class of fifteen-yearolds on a deserted island. arming each with a different weapon and giving them three days to 'play' to the death. Directed by KinJi Fukasaku — an influence on Quentin 'l'ai‘antino and John Woo — it's a bloody ruthless version of ‘Ten Green Bottles. as teenager after teenager hacks. blasts or gor'es anothm to pieces. It should be ghastly. but l‘ukasaku invests real psychological tension in his brisk character portraits, making a morbidly compelling film. (Metro 'l'artan VHS and DVD rental: iMai'k Fisher.

DANCl DRAMA THE CAR MAN (12) 100 mins 00

Originth concenxed as a stage show for his company. Adxentures In Motion Pictures. choreographer director

Video/ DVD

Matthew Bourne's determinedly steamy. sordid sexual 'iielodra'i‘a is indebted to Italian nee-realism. illll‘ noir and Douglas Sirk. The soundtrack is an adaptation of Rodin Shcliedrin's stripped down version of (Jaime/r. fron‘ .vhich opera Bourne also borrows lilOfl‘fZ'S of passion. ri‘urder and revenge. An increasineg hysterical narrative charts the impact a bisexual drifter has on a small Italian- American town. Unsiibtle. gob, yet (I()ll‘))LllS|‘.'(E. this self styled ‘auto erotic thriller" exudes a gririiy studio bound claustrophol)ia. The conteri*poi‘arj. curse of hyper-editing uiideriitines the full bodied vigour of the dancing 'or disguises its coarse lllltllélllUllSr. i\A/ariier VHS and DVD retaili iDonald Huter‘ai

DOCUME NlARY DARK DAYS (15) 94 mins 00..

When tv/entv year-old Marc Singer entered the underground tunnels below New York's Penn Station he must have never antic bated the effect it would have on i‘llll or its residents. llieg. ll‘.'(} :Slllttth' too during filiningi I". rionie made shacks in the glocin {tl‘.(f despite. or perhaps because Sznger had ll(3‘.(}l picked .irr a camera prior to shooting. lie axo' is seritimer‘talisirig tl‘e plight of This tlier‘ so liabitees ‘».'.'l‘.2le feiliiig a niovi'ig story The or‘igir‘a! niotivat on for the flll‘.‘ ‘.'.'a:; to ra sc- fiiixls to enable the relocation of the community \l’ben station owrevs Amtrak post a .if) riai, (3‘.l(‘,ll()l‘. notice. their plans become a rier:essit\.. In all senses of the i)".t,ltl-L‘ a life cliai‘ging fill“. iOptinium VHS an.l DVD retail